Yvette Tanamal, Jakarta – In the past month, Aldo Simanjuntak's coffee shop in South Jakarta has only had about one third of its typical number of customers. His one-time regulars, mostly university students and employees of a nearby state-run bank, have been coming by less and less frequently.

Jakarta – President Prabowo Subianto's recent budget cut to save over Rp 306 trillion (US$18.9 billion) to fund his administration's priority programs is incomprehensible.

Being fiscally prudent amid these uncertainties is a good thing, but the manner and scale of these cuts raise serious questions about their urgency, rationale and long-term impact of such a decision.

Jakarta – The Indonesian Navy has finished taking down a controversial sea fence off the coast of Tangerang, Banten, after more than three weeks of work.

Navy Marine Force commander Brig. Gen. Hermanto said that as of Thursday morning, Navy personnel had dismantled more than 28 kilometers of the sea fence and expected to remove the remaining section by the end of the day.

Jakarta – Amid concerns of harmful content over social media and the platforms' impact on their children's development, some parents conveyed their support for the government's move to introduce age restrictions on social media users.

Jayanty Nada Shofa, Jakarta – President Prabowo Subianto revealed Monday that Indonesia's foreign exchange reserves would skyrocket by tens of billions of American dollars this year as the government would soon require all resource exporters to hold its proceeds onshore.

Jakarta – Some members of Indonesia's parliament plan to propose the president remove the central bank governor because they think he was not properly backing the government's policy, investigative magazine Tempo reported on Monday (Feb 17), citing unnamed sources.

After a farewell from Timorese President Jose Ramos Horta, the inaugural direct air passenger service between Timor-Leste's capital Dili and the southern Chinese city of Xiamen touched down around 10 pm local time last Friday, reports Xinhua.

Yogi Eka Sahputra, Batam, Indonesia – Stress levels among the population of Batam reportedly spiked in January after extreme rainfall over a saltwater crocodile farm allowed more than 100 captive predators to explore the local area for the first time.

Sui Lee-Wee, Dili, East Timor – Three decades ago, he was a scrappy campaigner roaming the world's corridors of power with a dream to win independence for his tiny homeland. Today, at 75, Mr Jose Ramos-Horta is both the president and a relentless salesman for East Timor.

Andi Adam Faturahman, Jakarta – The Commission for the Disappeared and Victims of Violence (KontraS) said the implementation of budget cuts to ministries and state agencies is discriminatory.

Jakarta – The All Indonesia Student Executive Council (BEM SI) is holding a marathon of simultaneous actions in different regions of Indonesia from Monday February 17 through to Wednesday February 19. The theme being taken up at the demonstrations is "Dark Indonesia" (Indonesia Gelap).

Bandung – Hundreds of students held a demonstration in front of the West Java Regional House of Representatives (DPRD) building located on Jalan Diponegoro in Bandung City on Monday February 17.

Hendrik Yaputra, Jakarta – Presidential Communication Office Head Hasan Nasbi responded to the protest against the free nutritious meal program in Papua. According to him, every individual has the right to reject the program and refuse to enjoy nutritious food.

M. Raihan Muzzaki, Jakarta – The Ministry of Manpower responded to the trending hashtag #KaburAjaDulu that has been widely discussed by the public on social media. Deputy Minister of Manpower Immanuel Ebenezer Gerungan did not see any issue with the hashtag.

Jayanty Nada Shofa, Jakarta – Indonesia has maintained a trade surplus for the 57th consecutive month since May 2020 as the country's exports surpassed its imports by $3.45 billion in January, according to the Central Statistics Agency (BPS) on Monday.

Duncan Graham – Before the 18th century Enlightenment, church and state in Europe were one. In Indonesia, fears that Islam will infiltrate civic affairs go back to the founding of the Republic. Instead, the threats are not from the mosques, but the military.

Adhyasta Dirgantara, Dani Prabowo, Jakarta – President Prabowo Subianto claims that the current state of the Indonesian economy is quite good. This was based on reports from economics ministers during a limited cabinet meeting at the State Palace in Jakarta on Monday February 17.

Marjorie Preston – In an 11 February filing, Asia-Pacific Strategic Investments Ltd (APS) announced it would establish a $60 million (#47.5 million/Euro 57.2 million) casino and a $20 million bank in the Southeast Asian country.

The agreements were "formalised" with Francisco Kalbuadi Lay, Timor-Leste's vice-prime minister and economic affairs and tourism minister.

Jayapura – Today, on Monday February 17, students who are members of the West Papua High School Students Solidarity Front (FSPWP) held peaceful demonstrations against the government's free nutritious meals (MBG) program in a number of cities in the land of Papua.

Denpasar – A number of student groups, including those affiliated with the All Indonesia Student Executive Council (BEM SI) Alliance, are holding a marathon of simultaneous actions in a number of regions in Indonesia between Monday February 17 and Wednesday February 19.

Surabaya – Around 1,000 students held a "Dark Indonesia" (Indonesia Gelap) action in front of the East Java (Jatim) Regional House of Representatives (DPRD) offices in the provincial capital of Surabaya on Monday February 17. They were rejecting the government's budget efficiency policy.

Makassar – A "Dark Indonesia" (Indonesia Gelap) demonstration by the Islamic Student Association (HMI) in Makassar, the provincial capital of South Sulawesi, blockaded the Trans-Sulawesi highway causing a long traffic jam on Monday February 17.

Hans Nicholas Jong, Jakarta – Indonesia's president has drafted the military to lead the reclamation of illegally occupied forest areas throughout the country, while the Ministry of Forestry has partnered with it to protect and rehabilitate forest areas.

Nabiila Azzahra, Jakarta – The Indonesian government will reduce the number of potential amnesty or legal pardon prisoner candidates. Minister of Law Supratman Andi Agtas revealed that only 19,000 prisoners will receive amnesty, decreased from the previous number of 44,000 people.

Novali Panji Nugroho, Jakarta – The Alliance of the Executive Board of the All-Indonesia Students or BEM SI along with the Civil Society Coalition have consolidated in preparation for the demonstration scheduled for today, Monday, February 17.

Sultan Abdurrahman, Jakarta – Union of online motorcycle taxi drivers today are protesting the partnership work system with the provider company of online transportation services. Drivers from online motorcycle taxi (ojol), online taxi (taksol), and couriers go on a strike and do the mass 'bid off' application on Monday today, February 17, 2025.

Ervana Trikarinaputri, Jakarta – Indonesia recorded a drop in exports and imports by 8.56 percent and 15.18 percent, respectively, in January 2025, compared to the previous month, said Statistics Indonesia (BPS). Last month, Indonesia's export value was logged at US$21.45 billion and imports at US$18 billion.

Iwan Kurniawan – Maxwell Ronald Lane is still very active and gutsy at the age of 74. A researcher at the ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute in Singapore, he is known as the translator of the works of Indonesia's foremost author Pramoedya Ananta Toer and other books he has written about Indonesia.

Roger Peet – I recently spent two weeks in Yogyakarta, Indonesia, collaborating with the artists of Taring Padi on a new artist book about the legacy of the political genocide of 1965.

Iwan Kurniawan – In 1979, shortly after being released from Buru Island in the Maluku Islands, Pramoedya Ananta Toer, a writer and member of the People's Cultural Institute (Lekra), together with Hasjim Rachman and Joesoef Isak, founded the Hasta Mitra publishing house.

Juan Ardya Guardiola, Bogor – The newly established sovereign wealth fund Danantara will finance 35 large-scale national projects throughout this year, a close ally of President Prabowo Subianto said on Saturday.

Hendro D Situmorang, Ricki Putra Harahap, Bogor – President Prabowo Subianto welcomed his predecessor, Joko "Jokowi" Widodo, as a special guest during the 17th anniversary celebration of his Great Indonesia Movement Party (Gerindra) on Saturday evening. He thanked Jokowi for his support during last year's elections, saying it played a significant role in his victory.

Jakarta – The Judicial Commission introduced on Feb. 14 a work from home (WFH) policy for its employees in an effort to cut costs amid President Prabowo Subianto's budget efficiency drive across various government institutions, both central and regional.

Ricki Putra Harahap, Bogor – President Prabowo Subianto announced that Indonesia's budget efficiency measures will continue in three phases, targeting total savings of Rp 750 trillion (approximately $44 billion).

Yovanda Noni, East Kutai – The Dayak Wehea Indigenous Community in East Kutai Regency, East Kalimantan, shares a very close relationship with the nature and forests around them. They not only protect the forest as part of their cultural heritage but also as a vital source of life.

Ricki Putra Harahap, Bogor – President Prabowo Subianto addressed criticism of his 109-member "Red and White Cabinet," which has been labeled as "bloated." Prabowo's cabinet is the largest since 1966, when Indonesia's first president, Sukarno, formed an administration with 132 ministers.

Dinda Shabrina, Jakarta – The Rp10.28 trillion budget reduction for the Ministry of Agriculture may hinder efforts to achieve national food self-sufficiency, Minister Amran Sulaiman stated during a working meeting with the House of Representatives' (DPR) Commission IV on Thursday night, February 13.

Linda Yulisman, Jakarta – Ms Rinda (not her real name to protect her identity) and around 30 of her colleagues have worked for the past week with most of the lights in the office switched off, after President Prabowo Subianto ordered budget cuts for ministries and government agencies.

Nabiila Azzahra, Jakarta – President Prabowo Subianto stated that not all political parties need to join the government to contribute to effective governance. He suggested that parties can offer valuable assistance from outside the cabinet by providing constructive criticism and oversight of the Red and White Cabinet's performance.

Eka Yudha Saputra, Jakarta – Former President Joko Widodo or Jokowi said that President Prabowo Subianto is so powerful that no one dares to criticize him. Jokowi made this remark during his speech at the 17th anniversary of Gerindra in Sentul, Bogor, West Java.

Nusantara – The National Capital Nusantara Authority is offering free land to foreign governments that establish their embassies in the new capital before 2028.

Riandy Laksono – The Prabowo Subianto administration begins 2025 with a massive Rp 306 trillion fiscal spending cut, representing over 8% of this year's state budget, delivered by Presidential Instruction 1/2025.

Aep, Jakarta – Government budget cuts are dealing a severe blow to Bandung's hotel industry, with businesses reporting significant revenue losses due to cancellations of government meetings and events.

Jakarta – A court in Banten has handed lengthy prison terms to poachers who killed dozens of rare Javan rhinos, court rulings seen by AFP Friday showed, drawing praise from conservationists who said it would help deter lucrative wildlife crime.

New analysis indicates that Timor-Leste is at a critical juncture in its development, with the need for economic diversification increasing as the Petroleum Fund that finances much of the economy is expected to dry up by 2035. That's according to a press release from the World Bank.

Faisal Maliki Baskoro, Denpasar – Climate change is putting the future of palm oil production at risk, as extreme heat threatens the survival of Elaeidobius kamerunicus, the primary pollinating beetle for oil palm.

Alfitria Nefi P, Jakarta – The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) is among the institutions affected by Prabowo's budget efficiency directive. As a result, the anti-corruption agency had to relinquish a budget of Rp201 billion due to the budget cut.

Hendrik Yaputra, Jakarta – President Prabowo Subianto, speaking via video conference at the World Governments Summit 2025 on Thursday, February 13, claimed to have established a government based on talent and meritocracy within his first 100 days of office.

Jakarta – It has been unsettling to see the latest developments in the House of Representatives.

Ervana Trikarinaputri, Jakarta – Indonesian Finance Minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati has guaranteed that ongoing government scholarships will not be affected by the budget cuts being implemented by President Prabowo Subianto.

It is known that ministries and agencies are implementing budget cuts based on Presidential Instruction.